Earlier last week, it was reported that rumors of an “Apple Car” were seriously gaining momentum. It was reported that Apple would invest $3.6 billion in a planned manufacturing partnership with Hyundai-Kia, with the electric cars being produced at Kia’s Georgia plant. A South Korean report said the two companies were expected to sign the deal on Feb. 17.
But it seems that it was premature to say so. Japan Today reports that while talks with Kia and parent company Hyundai did take place, they recently came to a halt.
South Korea’s Hyundai Motor said it is not currently in talks with Apple about autonomous electric cars, just a month after it confirmed preliminary talks with the tech giant, causing the automaker’s stock to plummet.
As one would expect from such a top secret project, Apple declined to comment. But there is enough evidence to show that the company has big automotive ambitions. Although Apple has enough funds of its own, it would still make more sense to partner with a well-known car manufacturer than to go it alone. And, as the reports indicate, Apple Car plans have also been discussed with other car manufacturers, but the reports don’t say which ones or how serious the discussions are.